US3635314A - Linear-type energy absorber having circular elements between cylinders - Google Patents

Abstract

An inner member is telescopically engaged in an outer member having cycling and energy absorbing means operatively associated therewith for absorbing energy by deformation and reverse deformation in response to mechanical energy transmitted thereto by at least one of the members. The energy absorbing means are in the form of circular elements having a circular cross section for rolling action between the telescoping members. In one form, the circular elements are turns of a helically wound wire.

Description

limited States Patent Mazelsky 51 Jan. 18, 1972 [54] LINEAR-TYPE ENERGY ABSORBER [56] References Cited HAVING CIRCULAR ELEMENTS NIT STA P BETWEEN CYLINDERS U ED TES ATENTS ,369,6 4 2196 M k ..l8 1 [721 Invent Bernard Calm g 435 9i9 4/1963 it al. .182/1 5 [73] Assignee: Ara, Inc., West Covina, Calif.

. Primary Examiner-Duane A. Reger [22] Filed. Sept. 9, 1970 Atmmey Herzig & Walsh [2i] Appl. No.: 70,687

[57] ABSTRACT Related US. Application Data I An inner member is telescopically engaged in an outer [60] DiVlSiOll 0f SCI. NO. 699,532,.lan. 22, Pat. NO. member having cycling and energy absorbing means opera- 52 which is i -i pa t 0f tively associated therewith for absorbing energy by deforma- 558.3 17,.lune l7, I 66, N tion and reverse deformation in response to mechanical energy transmitted thereto by at least one of the members. The [52] US. Cl. ..l88/l C, 74/492, 256/l3.l, energy abs bing means are in the form of circular elements 293/70 having a circular cross section for rolling action between the [5 Inttelescoping members In one form the circular elements are of Search ..74/492, turns ofa helically wound wire 12 Claims, 18 Drawing Figures SHEET 2 OF 4 PATENTEU JAN 18 I372 LINEAR-TYPE ENERGY ABSORBER HAVING CIRCULAR ELEMENTS BETWEEN CYLINDERS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a division of US. Pat. application Ser. No. 699,532 filed on Jan. 22, 1968, now Pat. No. 3,528,529, which was a continuation-in-part of a copending application filed on June 17, 1966, under Ser. No. 558,317 for ENERGY- ABSORBING DEVICE, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,369,634.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The background of the invention is set forth in two parts:

1. Field of the Invention The present invention pertains generally to the field of nondestructive energy-absorbing devices and, more particularly, to such devices which are of the linear-type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,231,049, and which include means for absorbing energy in a nonaxial direction.

2. Description of the Prior Art While the energy-absorbing devices of the type disclosed in said US. Pat. No. 3,231,049 are generally satisfactory, the herein invention offers substantial advantages from the standpoint of practicality of fabrication and manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and useful linear-type energy absorbing device having the specific improved characteristics described herein.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful energy absorber of the type described which is not destroyed during an energyabsorbing cycle and which includes telescoping cylinders having rollers circular means for absorbing energy between them.

According to the present invention, an inner tubular member is telescopically engaged in an outer tubular member in operative association with a cycling and energy absorbing means in the form of a solid body adapted to absorb energy by cyclic plastic tension deformation and compression deformation in response to mechanical energy transmitted thereto by a least one of said members. The body is in the form of a wire element wound helically on the inner member.

According to the present invention, a torque-transmitting member includes first and second tubular members telescopically engaging each other in operative association with a cycling and energy-absorbing means in the form of a solid body adapted to absorb energy by cyclic plastic tension deformation and compression deformation in response to mechanical energy transmitted thereto by at least one of said tubular members. Three embodiments are disclosed. Each embodiment includes means for increasing the rate of change of energy absorbed by the cycling and energy-absorbing means during the stroking distance of the device of having attenuation force increase or decrease with the stroking distance. Each embodiment also includes means telescopically connecting the members together in such a manner that they will have torque-transmitting capability without loss of telescoping capability. One embodiment is shown for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation as comprising a steering column. The other two embodiments are shown as comprising drive shafts for motor vehicles.

As used herein, the term mechanical energy" may be defined according to its conventional definition, i.e., a force acting through a distance. Also, as used in the present application, the term cyclic plastic deformation" refers to the deformation of any solid material around a hystersis curve, as illustrated in FIG. 21 of said US. Pat. No. 3,231,049. In addition, the terms arcuate body," toroidal body" and helical body" shall include any body which may be operated upon to cause cyclic plastic tension deformation and compression deformation.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like elements in the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE'DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a graph showing acceleration plotted against time;

FIG. 2 is a graph showing nondimensional stroke plotted against a nondimensional input acceleration parameter;

FIG. 3 is a graph showing a nondimensional input acceleration parameter plotted against initial impact velocity;

FIG. 4 is a graph showing stroke plotted against velocity;

FIG. 5 is a force diagram showing somewhat schematically an energy-absorbing device of the present invention when subjected to nonaxial impacts;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of a portion of an energy absorbing device which may be used in combination with telescoping tubular members of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, partial, cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing a portion thereof on a greatly enlarged scale to bring out certain details of construction;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line 99 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged, partial, cross-sectional view taken along line l0- 10 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 is a plan view, with parts broken away to show internal construction of a steering mechanism employing tubular members of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line l2l2ofFIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line 13-13 of FIG. I2;

FIG. 14 is a bottom plan view of an automobile employing a drive shaft constituting a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 15-15 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 16-16 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a partial, cross-sectional view similar to FIG. I6 showing a drive shaft constituting a third embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 18 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 18-l8 of FIG. 17.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring again to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1-4, during the impact of an automobile with a stationary object, it is well known that the automobile will provide some measure of attenuation due to its permanent deformation of the bumper, radiator, frame and the like, even though some mechanism of energy absorption is not included in the automobile. If an accelerometer is placed at the steering column-wheel junction, the acceleration measured during the impact will most probably experience a half sine wavetype shape similar to that shown in FIG. 1. Although the exact shape of the input acceleration shown is difficult to describe exactly, two parameters appear to be common to this class of input acceleration. These are the peak acceleration, A and the duration time of acceleration, At. From an analysis of numerous water and land impact tests, the half sine wave shape appears to represent the input acceleration curve due to crushing of the test body during impact. Assuming the crush ing mechanism is similar for the automobile, a mathematical analysis of the requirements for the energy-absorbing device or attenuator may be established when applied to the steering column.

In FIG. 1, an energy-absorbing devices acceleration curve is superimposed on the half sine wave for the purpose of illus trating the three additional parameters required to describe its mathematical characteristics. These are given as follows: At t,, the device is activated at an acceleration level corresponding to A,, which is experienced during the input acceleration of the crash, and operates at this level until the velocity of the device is zero, which occurs at time 1 Based on the acceleration characteristics shown in FIG. 1, a solution for the stroke requirements for the energy-abosrbing device may be developed as a function of three variables: the ratio of the device's acceleration to peak input acceleration, A,./A a nondimensional acceleration ratio. A,,A,/1rV,, where V corresponds to the initial impact velocity; and a nondimensional stroke parameter, i=(S/ V /2A, where s is the stroke of the energy-absorbing device. The nondimensional stroke requirement, 5, for the device is plotted in FIG. 2 as a function of the other two parameters. Examination of the results of this figure indicate that, if benefits are to be derived from the attenuation caused by the crushing of the automobile, a value of A,/A equal to 0.5 or greater must be realized. In addition, if values of A Al/Tr V are less than unity, the benefits of attenuation due to the crushing of the automobile may be difficult to realize unless the ratio A /A, is close to unity, whichis extremely impractical. Since the engineering significance of the parameter A At/vr V,, is self-explanatory, the only two parameters that require some clarification are the input acceleration parameter, A Ar/rrV and the stroke parameter Vf/ZA, The first parameter, which consists of variables used to define the input acceleration curve shown in FIG. 1, may be evaluated in terms of the initial impact velocity, V,,, and the parameter involving the product of the peak g forces, g and the distance As, which is a measure of the input velocity V,, times At, which describes the duration of the input acceleration. The characteristics of the acceleration parameter ADAI/TI' V are plotted in FIG. 3 as a function of the initial impact velocity, V,,, and the product parameter g As. Examination of the results of FIG. 3 indicate that for an impact velocity less than ft. per second and for reasonable values of g,,. As, values of the impact acceleration parameter A Al/n'V will be greater than one; however, for impact velocities from to I00 feet per second, values of g As greater than I00 must be attained or else the benefits derived from the reduction of stroke shown in FIG. 2 due to the input acceleration parameter A AtlrrV will not be realized. In more physical terms, if an input peak acceleration of I00 g's is experienced during a crash, then the total permanent deformation due to the automobile bumper, radiator, frame, guardrail and the like must exceed at least I foot and possibly 5 feet at higlimpact velocities. The results of FIG. 3 clearly indicate that for high-velocity impact (in the range of 40 to I00 ft./sec.), then the attenuation of the driver through the steering column may be implemented by additional sources, such as an energy-abosrbing bumper or guardrail to minimize load levels and stroking distance.

In order to determine the actual stroke distance required for the steering column from the parameter, s, shown in FIG. 2, a plot of the stroke parameter V /2A, is provided in FIG. 4 as a function of the impact velocity V and several prescribed 3 load levels of the torus attenuator located in the steering column. Once a value of the nondimensional stroke distance E is determined from FIG. 2, the actual stroke distance required for the attenuator is obtained by multiplying s times the value of V,, /2 t, obtained from FIG. 4, which is a function of the impact velocity V, and the operating 8 force of the device, g,.

Through proper automotive design and/or barrier design let it be assumed that a value of =O.5 can be obtained from FIG. 2. For an impact velocity of 80 feet per second, which corresponds to 54.5 miles per hour, and at a g level of the energyabosrbing device or attenuator of 30, which according to established human tolerance criteria is acceptable without injury to the driver, (in the fore and aft direction), a stroke requirement of 3X0.5=l .5 feet is required for the steering column attenuator. Ifthe value of=0.5 cannot be obtained by proper automotive and/or barrier design, then a value of=0.9

would be realized and consequently the steering column attenuator would require almost 3 feet of stroke for this same impact condition. It is quite clear that where 1.5 feet of stroke in the steering column is practical and values of 3 feet or greater are not practical, then the prevention of injury to a driver at relatively highly speed, namely feet per second or 54.5 miles per hour, is not feasible for any steering column attenuator system unless implemented by the attenuation available from other sources.

One such source of attenuation comprises the highway barrier shown at 10 in said copending application Ser. No. 558,3l7. This barrier included a cycling and energy-absorbing means 12 and an energy-transmitting means 14, as shown in FIGS. 5-10 herein.

The energy-transmitting means 14 includes an impactreceiving means 16, an inner tubular member 18, a first connector means 20 and a support means 22. The support means 22 includes a fixed support 24 and an outer tubular member 34, which maintains the cycling and energy-absorbing means 12 in operative association with the inner tubular member 18 and maintains the alignment of the member 18 with the cycling and energy-absorbing means 12. The support means 22 also includes a second connector means 36 for connecting the outer tubular member 34 to the support 24. The inner tubular member 18, the outer tubular member 34 and the cycling and energy-absorbing means 12 form an attenuator assembly 42.

Each attenuator assembly 42 has a stroke of approximately 24 inches from its fully extended position to its fully compressed position where the inner tubular member 18 is substantially completely disposed within the outer tubular member 34. The attenuators 42 absorb energy in a manner to be hereinafter described by being stroked when impact receiving means 16 receives an impact from an automobile or the like. The energy-absorbing capability of the attenuators 42 is such that the stroking of a particular attenuator will commence without substantial injury to a driver or passenger in th automobile.

Each connector means 36, 20 includes an eyebolt 44 having an externally threaded end 46 and a socket end 48. The socket end 48 includes a socket 50 in which a ball member 52 is articulately mounted for connection to an associated support 24 or an associated impact-receiving means 16, respectively, by a bolt and nut assembly 54 (FIG. 10). Wlitn the impact receiving means 16 is in its before-impact position, the attenuators 42 form an angle of approximately 45 with the impact-receiving means 16. The articulated nature of the connector means 20, 36 and the before-impact position of the impact-receiving means 16 assures that the stroke of the impact-receiving means 16 will be approximately restricted only by the distance associated with the diameter of the attenuators 42 and not by their compressed length. In addition, this arrangement insures that the attenuators 42 and the connector means 20, 36 will remain intact regardless of the impact angle.

Referring now more in particular to FIG. 5, if optimum energy absorption is to be obtained, F impact should be a constant during the stroking distance of the attenuator 42. For this condition, the force, F attenuator, must necessarily increase with stroke with the variation of l/cos 6 where 6 would vary possibly from 45 to 75 during the stroke. This increasing force with stroke is manufactured into the attenuators 42 in a manner to be hereinafter described. Since the impactreceiving means 16 is designed not to deform permanently during the excursion of the attenuators 42, and since the attenuators work in both the tension and compression strokes, every attenuator will be operative regardless of the impact force. Thus, the impact force is distributed over a maximum area of the impact-receiving means 16 resulting in least likelihood ofany one attenuator bottoming out.

The inside diameter of the outer tubular member 34 is sufficiently greater than the outside diameter of the inner tubular member 18 that an annular space or chamber 70 is provided therebetween. The cycling and energy-absorbing means 12 is mounted in the chamber 70 in operative association with the outer tubular member 34 and the inner tubular member 18' for absorbing energy by cycling plastic deformation and its reversed deformation in response to mechanicalenergy transmitted thereto by the energy-transmitting means 14. The cycling and energy-absorbing means 12 comprises a working cage 72, a stacking cage 73 and a solid, nonelastomeric, radially uncompressed, arcuate body in the form of a helical coil 74 having a plurality of turns 76. Each turn 76 constitutes an arcuate body adapted to be subjected to cyclic plastic tension deformation and compression deformation by the rotation of each turn 76 about its internal axis. The cycling and energyabsorbing means 12 is prevented from moving past the end 78 of the tubular member 18 by a retainer cap 80 which includes a sidewall 81 encompassing the end 78, and secured thereto by suitable weldments 82, and a bottom wall 84 having a function to be hereinafter described. The sidewall 81 has an upper edge 86 engageable by the working cage 72 for preventing it from moving past the end 78.

The working cage 72 and the stacking cage 73 each includes a band 88 encompassing the inner tubular member 18 and a plurality of arcuate bodies 90 which are mounted in elongated openings 92 provided in an associated band 88.

The amount of energy absorbed by each attenuator 42 will depend, in part, upon the number of turns 76 which are rotated about their internal axes during a particular stroke. The number of turns 76 which are rotated depend upon whether or not they are brought into working engagement with the inner tubular member 18 and the outer tubular member 34 during a particular stroke. The turns 76 are programmed into working engagement with the inner tubular member 18 and the outer tubular member 34 during a particular stroke to produce the increasing force with stroke which is manufactured into each attenuator 42. This is accomplished by tapering the inner tubular member 18 a predetermined amount from its end 78 to its other end 94. Such a taper provides a varying chamber 70 resulting in the increasing force with stroke. The amount of taper depends on the inner tubular member 18, its diameter and the diameter of the turns 76, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

During a particular stroke, the working cage 72, because of the rotation of the arcuate bodies 90 about their internal axes, not only absorbs energy, but also moves the turns 76 on the helical body 74 into working engagement with the outer tubular member 34 by sliding the turns 76 along the inner tubular member 18 in the direction of arrow 96. A predetermined number of turns 76 are initially in working engagement with the inner tubular members 18 and the outer tubular member 34 so that the cycling and energy-absorbing means 12 will absorb a predetermined amount of energy upon initial impact. In order to be placed in working engagement with the inner tubular member 18 and the outer tubular member 34, the inner wall 98 of the outer tubular member 34 and the outer wall 100 of the inner tubular member 18 must exert sufficient frictional force on the turns 76 to rotate them about their internal axes. At the end of the stroke, the cycling and energy-absorbing means 12 may be returned to the end 78 of the inner tubular member 18 by extending an associated attenuator 42. During this extension, the stacking cage 73 assures that the turns 76 will remain neatly stacked.

When a particular attenuator 42 is fully extended, the cycling and energy-absorbing means 12 is prevented from leaving the open end 102 by a nut 104 which engages an externally threaded collar 106securedto the end 102 of the tubular member 34 by suitable weldments 108.

Although a number of dilferent parameters will manifest themselves for the various components of each attenuator 42, an illustrative set of values is as follows:

The inner tubular member 18 may comprise a 17-7PH, heat-treated, stainless steel, hollow, cylindrical body having a 0.025-inch wall thickness, as indicated by arrows 110 in FIG. 8, an effective length of 12 inches and a 2.7l8-inch outside diameter at the end 94 tapering to a smaller diameter at the rate of 0.006 inches per foot in the direction of end 78.

The outer tubular member 34 may comprise a l7-7PH heat-treated stainless steel, hollow cylindrical body having a 0.025-inch wall thickness and a 2.843-inch outside diameter.

The annular chamber 70 has a thickness of approximately 0.037 inch between the outer tubular member 34 and the inner tubular member 18 at the end 94 of the inner tubular member 18 with a corresponding increase in thickness at the rate of 0.006 inch per foot moving toward the end 78 to a maximum increase of 0.00 l 5 inch.

The arcuate bodies 90 in the cages 72 and 73 are each made from a 302 stainless steel wire and are each approximately 0.0465 inch in diameter and 0.87-inch long. Six such bodies are provided in each of the cages 72, 73 and approximately 180 pounds of force are required to move each cage.

The helical coil 74 is made from a 302 stainless steel wire having approximately 0.045-inch diameter and includes approximately turns, designated 76. It requires approximately 200 pounds of force to rotate each turn about its internal axis. Since the chamber 70 has a maximum change in thickness of 0.0015 inch and the arcuate bodies have a 0.015-inch greater diameter than the turns 76, the cages 72, 73 will always be in working engagement with the members 18 and 34. This assures that the cages 72, 73 will always push the turns 76 during stroking of the attenuators 42.

The connector means 20 is secured to the end 94 of an associated attenuator 42 by a plug 112 which is secured in the open end 94 of the inner tubular member 18 by suitable weldments 114 and which includes an internally threaded counterbore 116 threadedly receiving the threaded end 46 of eyebolt 44.

The connector means 36 is secured to the end 118 of the outer tubular member 34 by an end cap 120 which is secured in the open end 118 by suitable weldments 122 and which includes an internally threaded counterbore 124 threadedly receiving the externally threaded end 46 of eyebolt 44. An air inlet valve 126 is mounted in the end cap 120 for introducing compressed air into the interior of the outer tubular member 34 for exerting a force against the closed bottom wall 84 of the end cap 80 for the purpose of extending the attenuator 42 after it has been compressed.

A first embodiment of an energy-absorbing, telescoping tubular member having torque-transmitting capability will now be described in connection with FIGS. 11-13 wherein a steering mechanism 146a includes an impact-receiving means 16d in the form of a steering wheel which may be nonrotatably connected to an in'temal tubular member 18d which is telescopically received in an outer tubular member 34d having a splined shaft 216 affixed to the end 218 thereof. The splined shaft 216 is operatively associated with the customary steering gears (not shown) which may be housed in a housing represented by the broken lines 220.

The steering mechanism 1460 also includes a cycling and energy-absorbing means 12d which may be identical to the cycling and energy-absorbing means 12 previously described except that a predetennined number of turns 76d may be provided with a spherical elements 222 disposed within fluted chambers 224 for nonrotatably connecting the inner tubular member 18d to the outer tubular member 34d while permitting relative reciprocation between the two members. The fluted chambers 224 may be formed by axially extending, arcuate channels 226 formed in the outer tubular member 34d, and matching channels 228 formed in the inner tubular member 18d.

A second embodiment of an energy-absorbing telescoping tubular member having torque-transmitting capability will now be described in connection with FIGS. 14-16 wherein an automobile 230 includes a chassis 232 having a frame 234, wheels 236, a rear axle housing 238, a differential 240 and a transmission 242. A drive shaft assembly 244 connects transmission 242 to differential 240 and includes an inner tubular member 182 which is telescopically received in an outer tubular member 34e.

The drive shaft 244 also includes a cycling and energy-absorbing means 12d which may be identical to the cycling and energy absorbing means previously described in connection with H68. 1143. The cycling and energy-absorbing means 12d includes at least one turn 76d which is provided with spherical elements 222 disposed within fluted chambers 246 for nonrotatably connecting the inner tubular member l8e to the outer tubular member 34e while permitting relative axial movement or reciprocation between the two members. The fluted chambers 246 may be formed by axially extending arcuate channels 248 formed in the outer tubular member 34c and matching channels 250 formed in the inner tubular member 18e.

Referring now to FIGS. 17 and 18, a drive shaft 244a may be identical to the drive shafi 244 except that spherical element 222 and fluted chambers 246 may be replaced by a plurality of shearable members 2220 and peripheral slots 246a, respectively.

Drive shaft 244a includes a cycling and energy-absorbing means 12f which may be identical to the cycling and energyabsorbing means 12d, except that the spherical elements 222 are eliminated leaving turns 76f similar to those described in connection with FIGS. 7-8.

The shearable members 222a nonrotatably connect an inner tubular member 18f to an outer tubular member 34f while readily shearing to permit relative axial movement or reciprocation between the two members. Each shearable members 222a may be held in position within its associated slot 246a by a weldment 108a which also secures an externally threaded member 106a to outer tubular member 34f. Fourshearable members 2220 may be employed and each member may be made from 2 inch X 0.002-inch shim stock of brass or the like. The 2 inch dimension is positioned radially so that each member 222a will not shear under normal torque loads encountered during rotation of drive shaft 244a. The 0.02- inch dimension permits shearing without unduly increasing the attenuation force when drive shaft 244a is subjected to axial loading of sufficient magnitude to cycle the cycling and energy absorbing means 12f.

While the particular tubular members herein shown and described in detail are fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that they are merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims which form a pan of this disclosure.

What is claimed is:

1. An energy-absorbing device adapted to absorb unidirectional mechanical energy by cyclic plastic deformation comprising: cycling and energy-absorbing means for absorbing energy by plastic deformation and reverse plastic deformation of the same portions thereof in response to mechanical energy transmitted thereto, said cycling and energy-absorbing means being adapted to convert unidirectional mechanical energy into cyclic plastic deformation and reverse deformation, said means comprising inner and outer cylindrical members and generally circular deformable elements positioned between said cylindrical members; and means for transmitting energy to said absorbing means.

2. A device as in claim 1, comprising a helix between said cylinders.

3. A device as in claim 1, wherein the annular chamber between the cylinders has a taper.

4. A device as in claim 2, wherein the helix is a stainless steel wire.

5. A device as in claim 4, wherein the wire is of a diameter of substantially 0.045 inch.

6. A device as in claim 1, wherein said energy-transmitting means includes impact-receiving means comprising a highway guardrail member.

7. A device as in claim 1, wherein said energy-transmitting means includes an impact-receiving means comprising an automobile steeringwheel.

. A device as in claim 1, wherein said energy-transmitting means includes an impact-receiving means comprising an automobile roll bar.

9. A device as in claim 1, wherein said energy-transmitting means includes an impact-receiving means comprising an automobile bumper.

10. A device as in claim 1 wherein said defonnable elements comprise a solid nonelastomeric, radially uncompressed arcuate body capable of being rotated about its internal axis for absorbing energy by alternate plastic tension deformation and plastic compression deformation of the same portion thereof during each cycle transmitted thereby by said energy-transmitting means.

11. A device as in claim 1, wherein said members define an annular chamber, different axial portions of said chamber being of different radial width and different portions of said cycling and energy-absorbing means being subjected to aid plastic deformation at a rate controlled by said different widths of said portions of said chamber.

12. A device as in claim 11, comprising a helix between said cylinders.

Claims (12)

1. An energy-absorbing device adapted to absorb unidirectional mechanical energy by cyclic plastic deformation comprising: cycling and energy-absorbing means for absorbing energy by plastic deformation and reverse plastic deformation of the same portions thereof in response to mechanical energy transmitted thereto, said cycling and energy-absorbing means being adapted to convert unidirectional mechanical energy into cyclic plastic deformation and reverse deformation, said means comprising inner and outer cylindrical members and generally circular deformable elements positioned between said cylindrical members; and means for transmitting energy to said absorbing means.

2. A device as in claim 1, comprising a helix between said cylinders.

3. A device as in claim 1, wherein the annular chamber between the cylinders has a taper.

4. A device as in claim 2, wherein the helix is a stainless steel wire.

5. A device as in claim 4, wherein the wire is of a diameter of substantially 0.045 inch.

6. A device as in claim 1, wherein said energy-transmitting means includes impact-receiving means comprising a highway guardrail member.

7. A device as in claim 1, wherein said energy-transmitting means includes an impact-receiving means comprising an automobile steering wheel.

8. A device as in claim 1, wherein said energy-transmitting means includes an impact-receiving means comprising an automobile roll bar.

9. A device as in claim 1, wherein said energy-transmitting means includes an impact-receiving means comprising an automobile bumper.

10. A device as in claim 1 wherein said deformable elements comprise a solid nonelastomeric, radially uncompressed arcuate body capable of being rotated about its internal axis for absorbing energy by alternate plastic tension deformation and plastic compression deformation of the same portion thereof during each cycle transmitted thereby by said energy-transmitting means.

11. A device as in claim 1, wherein said members define an annular chamber, different axial portions of said chamber being of different radial width and different portions of said cycling and energy-absorbing means being subjected to aid plastic deformation at a rate controlled by said different widths of said portions of said chamber.

12. A device as in claim 11, comprising a hElix between said cylinders.

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